Wednesday, November 27, 2013

I am "that" person, and by "that" I mean the type of person that starts most days wondering "what the heck day IS it?" Rarely, if ever, do I consult my iCalendar the night before. . .well maybe, but only if it is to plan a yoga class or a GNO. Perhaps maybe in an attempt to plan for my children, whose schedules mostly dictate my own. Occasionally for my husband, who keeps even less of a schedule than I do, yet somehow keeps us all together. I am a flounderer, a floater, a drifter of sorts. (It is a character flaw I am certain.) That person whose life, though almost entirely "unplanned" appears somewhat idealistic to outsiders. It is amazing.

As a teenager I moved to Charlotte in the dead of winter of my senior year. It was one heck of an act of rebellion; a result of "senioritis" and overall extreme small town boredom. Unable to correct this impulsive act, I stayed in Charlotte a year longer than planned. Mostly in search of some new friends and a good time (not being in college is not very fun), I thought I might take this college thing a little more seriously. And then it happened, I got "lost." Not "lost" like spiritually, "lost" like what the heck is happening at the intersection of Providence & Queens & Selwyn Avenue . So I went straight one beautifully sunny March afternoon, and instead of taking a left onto Providence Road, I drove straight by Queens College. I pulled into the parking lot and went in. Two days later I registered for classes and four years later I graduated with a BS in Business Administration. A business degree? Perplexing for sure to my friends and family, but not to me. After consulting at least one or two other people, I determined that business had the absolute least amount of homework and almost no writing. It took me about six minutes to declare my major.

The problem with college was that I never actually thought about what I was going to do afterwards with this whole business degree thingy. So I worked as a babysitter until my social networking skills led me to a job as a recruiter. I was mostly terrible at it, a diamond peg trying to fit into a square hole. (I could never be the square peg of course.) No matter which way you looked at it, it was the worst of all possible career outcomes. I lasted for four very long years.

The end of that career led to several others. I have taught swimming lessons to little ones, worked for penny's at an art gallery and styled fashion shoots for kids magazines. I have cleaned and audited closets and dressed women of great means. I am a shop girl at a gift shop. I have blogged and blogged and blogged. I have never made any money to speak of.

I have two children who are "blessing" from God. The thought that I would have them, never crossed my mind. . .until it did. I have an amazing husband who started out as the worst boyfriend ever. I am still not sure how this happened. The last time I bought a car and a house, I bought the first one's I looked at. This time I looked at three houses and three cars. I think I chose wisely. You know, options and all.

Today I am thankful, for the clearly blessed life I have been given.

Lord knows I didn't plan for it. . . But I sure do love it.

This picture about sums up my life. You know the hound and the hare and all . . .

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

There is nothing like being stuck in the bed all day to make me realize how much I like to get out of it. Not only that, but I have an iPhone full of little gems that I never got around to sharing with you. Last week I hit up Ikea and World Market in search of some instant bling. . Your children will never want to inherit these little cheepos. . .but "whateve's". . .design to the masses, "aint nothin wrong with that!"

Stockholm Syndrome? Could be. . .But the entire line of Ikea's STOCKHOLM collection makes me crazy happy. A clean modern sideboard at a great price, whose with me!

Speaking of STOCKHOLM, This table is design perfection. At $499, Your kids can make their mark and you wont have to kill them. . .score.

I fell for these cozy Kivic chairs at Ikea. They are available in tons of cool fabrics and at $309, your bestie can spill her glass of red wine on it, and the two of you will still be friends for years to come. . .

Layer the whole look with one

of these geometric beauties. Create a division of space, by throwing one over a sea grass rug, or just make your kitchen a wee bit prettier. . .Either way, design fix, fixed!

World Market, you have never been closer (around the corner from our new houzz) or prettier. I have a big bad crush on a similar table that we carry at Home With Heart, but for $449 *on sale, I might be upgrading to this little gem. The Braxton Dining Table top is wrapped in metal not zinc. . .but this x'ed base Acadia wood table is gonna be a crowd pleaser!

World Market was piled high with cool looking designer knock off's like this linen covered, nail studded beauty. The Greyson Chair is shown here in dark wood, but I like the driftwood version a wee bit better.

This little wicker basket from World Market will come in handy for just about everything. Fill with blankets and put by the mantle. Or create a catch all for shoes by the door . . .when your done, plant a fiddle leaf fig in it and move right on along.

Just like at Anthropologie, World Market has a bin full of vintage looking knobs and hooks. Only this time the price is right! For $6 this little owl hook will dress up any mudroom, make the perfect towel hooks for the bathroom, or dress up a little girls room.